Dossiers

The Alps have hosted the Winter Olympics on a number of occasions, most recently in Turin in 2006. In recent years all the candidatures from the Alps have been unsuccessful, either because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has given preference to other, more powerful candidates or because local residents have spoken out against the Games.
A review of the experience gained as a result shows that, in democracies such as Alpine countries, the Winter Olympics face an uphill challenge. People are no longer willing to accept their escalating magnitude, impact on the environment, incalculable costs, or the diktat of the all-powerful IOC. This collection of field reports, arguments and technical information illustrates why there is no longer any room in the Alps for the Winter Olympics in their current form.

Changing climate conditions have a noticeable influence on forests. Forest management must make effective adaptations with a very long-term perspective, taking account of climate change. Forests are not only affected by climate change: they also play a key role in adaptation measures and climate protection. In the 32-page report CIPRA presents the effects from climate change to forestry, formulates its demands and shows good practice examples for climate friendly forest management in the Alps. Healthy, natural forests have to be the response to climate change! The report exists only in German langue. CIPRA's demands which summarize the report are also available in English. Additional relevant material on the issue can be found in other language versions of this page.

Alpine rivers supply more than 170 millions of people with water. Climate change is going to reduce this water availability in the Alps and also in other regions. Water demand will rise as well as the competition between different stakeholder groups. In the 31-page compact CIPRA presents reports showing the effects from climate change to water utility, as well as political instruments and good practice examples. Because only an efficient water usage is sustainable! Additional relevant material on the issue can be found in other language versions of this page.

The agricultural sector is directly affected by climate change impacts but it also contributes to the release of greenhouse gases (GHG) and rising concentrations of GHG in the atmosphere. A sustainable climate response strategy in the field of agriculture involves anticipating, planning and long-term thinking from farm level to transnational level. Prominent fields of activity are sustainable land and soil management, sustainable water management, managing manure and soil carbon as well as organic agriculture as an overall strategy. As agriculture is a highly subsidized economic sector, subvention policy can be used as a lever to guide the sector to sustainability and climate neutrality. Additional relevant material on the issue can be found in other language versions of this page.

Climate Change challenges the alpine tourism. On the one hand it has to adapt to climate change, simultaneously it has to become more climate neutral. Especially the sectors of traffic and energy offer huge potentials to CO2-reduction. Authorities have to direct the development into a sustainable direction. Additional relevant material on the issue can be found in other language versions of this page.

This compact provides an overview of energy self-sufficient regions in the Alps. Chapter 2 describes in a nutshell CIPRA’s central concern to make the Alps energy self-sufficient. Chapter 3 explores the idea of energy selfsufficiency in more detail. The most common arguments in favour of creating an energy self-sufficient region are then summarised. Chapter 5 looks at the individual building blocks, networks and structures that make up the energy self-sufficiency process; details of regional energy concepts are outlined and the success factors that promote the development of energy regions listed. Chapter 6 draws conclusions and then presents a number of examples of good practice from the Alpine region: three predominantly rural regions, one urban initiative from Bolzano and the state of Vorarlberg representing a larger region. Additional relevant material on the issue can be found in other language versions of this page.

This CIPRA compact offers an overview on spatial planning measures in the Alps for the reduction and adaptation to climate change. Spatial planning can contribute with its tools to ensure climate storage areas such as swamps, forests and river areas and prepare areas for the production of renewable energies. It is fundamental that spatial planning decisions regarding space and settlement structures are moved from local to regional level. Additional relevant material on the issue can be found in other language versions of this page.

This CIPRA compact offers an overview on transport projects in the Alps for the reduction and adaptation to climate change. CIPRA shows its main stance on this point: if we do not change our mobility behaviours, climate objectives will not be reached! Truck transport must become more expensive and environmental transport types must be clearly forced. Additional relevant material on the issue can be found in other language versions of this page.

This CIPRA compact offers an overview on building projects in the Alps for the reduction and adaptation to climate change. CIPRA shows its main stance on this point: building renovation is a fundamental contribution to climate protection. In new buildings the passive house standard must be introduced in the Alps. The house of the future will even produce energy! Additional relevant material on the issue can be found in other language versions of this page.